The Power of Scent

"The sense of smell can be extraordinarily evocative, bringing back pictures as sharp as photographs of scenes that had left the conscious mind." (Horticulturist Thalussa Cruso)

Have you ever been stopped in your tracks by a passing scent, knowing that it evokes a memory but you can't immediately put your finger on it?

I recently have..... I'm still trying to work out what memory I associated with that scent - all I know is that it was definitely something from childhood as it made me feel very young. (Click 'Read more' to continue)

Have you ever walked past the most beautiful flowers, but it wasn't their beauty that caught your attention - it was their scent?

I pass a hedge with beautiful flowers everytime I head to the train station but I have to hold my breath as I simply cannot stand the scent of those flowers. Strange, hey? Something so beautiful can create a scent that I simply do not enjoy.

Can you think of the strongest memory that a scent has ever evoked for you?

Think about it for a while......

..... I don't expect it to come to you right away.

Here's my scent story:

After I finished college I went to work for a summer in Boston, USA. What a truly fabulous summer that was! You might be thinking "parties, boys, freedom" etc but, no. I grew up more that summer than any summer before as I truly had to stand on my own two feet and work to earn enough money to pay my rent. That summer I truly understood (and loved) learning about independence.

Quite a few years later I returned to Boston to visit a school friend. To this day, I can distinctly remember stepping onto the first stair as I exited the aeroplane and stopping and saying "I smell Boston". I had a sudden rush of very happy memories and flashbacks of my earlier summer and I couldn't wait to get exploring the city again...... the very next day I walked from one end to the other, I was so excited to be back.

Does that sound familiar?

Have you got a similar story to share (feel free to do so in the comments)

So why is scent so powerful? And why on a daily basis do we often overlook its capabilites?

Now I'm not a scientist so I'll leave the scientific theories and experiments to those who understand the science behind scent better than I ever could and to those you give it justice. There is a time and place for science.....

However I do notice the power of scent in my everyday life.

Personally, I have found from my own business that there are two primary reasons why beauty products sell:

feel/touch and scent

Do you agree?

So I have built my current range of products around this finding and I think it's absolutely fascinating watching how each scent fights for popularlity.

For example:

Coconut Ruffle.

What do you associate with the smell of coconut?

Well it seems my customers view it as a summery fragrance - memories of lying on a beach, perhaps, or relishing a tropical drink?

And why do I know this? Well Coconut Ruffle has take a sudden leap into the popularity rankings and fast becoming a strong favourite.

And what about Citrus Zing.

What does the scent of citrus fruits evoke?

Well, again, my customers are associating it to the warmer months of the year. It seems to evoke a feeling of springtime as it was in the season of Spring that it claimed its popularity.

Then we have Sandalwood & Vanilla.

This is a much warmer scent.

Due to its popularity last year, I carried it into this year's range.

Can you guess when this scent peaks in popularlity?

Yep - you've got it - in the colder Autumn months. Though it does have a faithful fan-base throughout the year, making it the 2nd most popular Simply SKin scent.

Mango & Japanese Plum described as "the fruitiness of mango with the warm spicy Oriental scent of Japanese plum"

Can you think when or why these scents would find their popularity?

Let me give you a clue...... it has nothing to do with the seasons.

My Red Olive & Ginger scent is the most controversial of all the scents I currently use.

There's a real love/dislike (I don't like the word 'hate') relationship with this scent.

Some customers love the warmth of the ginger coming through, while others can't bear the scent because they can smell olives (and they really don't like olives).

Personally, this scent is too flowery to me.... I have a very sweet nose.

But, like the others, it has its followers.

And finally we have Mango & Japanese Plum

It seems that this scent is a real little show-stopper.

When I mentioned to a few customers last year that I was changing my scents and very few of them would be carried forward into the 2013 range, I honestly thought there was going to be war waged over this scent. Seriously..... it was a bit frightening......

This scent has such a devout following that I'm wondering if/how I will ever be able to replace it?

And, sometimes, late at night as I lie in my bed I panic: "What if my supplier stops making this scent?"

Now that just doesn't bare thinking about. I dread to think what would happen!